Dalin-Richomme, the boost
When you're at the head of the most prestigious race in the world and you don't give up, speed is a sweet addiction. After a long area to battle in less than 10 knots of wind, allowing Charlie to climb the mast, the wind will finally pick up. “ It should accelerate this evening and overnight to around 13 knots », confides Basile Rochut, the weather consultant for the Vendée Globe. Finished the parenthesis of the “ Brazilian sweetness of life », which Charlie was talking about this morning. The two IMOCAs will start flying again, speeds will continue to increase and the battle will inevitably increase in intensity.
Behind, the war of nerves
Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil, 3rd), continues his climb along Brazil. Even if it will not be long before he will benefit from the trade winds, the acceleration of the leading duo should widen the gap again. More than 900 miles to the south, Thomas Ruyant (VULNERABLE, 4th) is dealing with his J2 damage, the result of a very localized and particularly virulent storm phenomenon. “ It will be quite disadvantaged in the journey up the Atlantic, specifies Fabien Delahaye from the race director. The J2 is used in 10 to 20 knots of wind, which should be the conditions up to the Azores. He has this damage to J2, that of his mainsail and will also have to go up to the mast to check that there is no further damage ».
The Northerner, who had a lead of more than 300 miles over his pursuers, saw his lead dwindle (170 miles). Behind, a group of five skippers from Paul Meilhat (Biotherm, 5th) to Justine Mettraux (Teamwork-Team Snef, 10th) is facing depression. Most of them go around it from the East, while the Swiss try to progress downwind from the West. Above all, this front generates very unpredictable conditions, brutal gusts of wind, short seas, which requires constant vigilance. Paul Meilhat took the time to detail the situation during the sessions, without hiding the fatigue that this causes:
